How I Created Long Gone

ONE

So this is the photo I started off with (ONE).  I went into iColorama and created a blank image 5:4 3160X2528.  I blended the original image above onto the blank white image (Effects Blend). I decided to flip it and drop it down lower for the image I was going to make.  I then needed some trees on the right to complete my image to the right edge I used TWO below for this. 

(TWO)

I blended the image above to add the extra trees on the right.  I masked out all of it but the trees and grasses in the foreground. This is the image below (THREE).  Since I lowered the image the top was still white from the blank canvas, so I went into Paint and picked a nice big soft brush and chose a neutral grey color and painted in the sky.  See below.

(THREE)

I wasn't thrilled with the foreground on the right so I blended the above image on top and flipped it and masked out everything but the green grass in the right foreground (FOUR) below.

(FOUR)

I was happy with this so far (I am saving versions of this as I go) and I am still in iColorama.  I then took the last version (FOUR) above into Repix one of my favorite apps. I did some work on the sky with charcoal, spray, drips, etc.  I softened other areas around the image (FIVE) below.

(FIVE)

I then brought this image back into iColorama and lowered it a bit more. I wanted a larger sky and I wanted the house below the middle line of the image. I blended the texture below on top (SIX) - I think Multiple blend mode opacity about 60% or so.  I then added the birds and an extra tree on the right hand side. Then I ran that image thru Style Auto Preset 1 opacity about  40%. This gave me the painterly look I like. This is image (SEVEN) below.

(SIX)

(SEVEN)

I am still in iColorama so I save the image and go over into Touch/Retouch and do a little clean up. Save the image and come back into iColorama with this new image.  I do some adjustments under Exposure to exposure and brightness and save.  I decide to alter the color a bit so I then go into Tone Enhance and use Preset 9 and adjusted the opacity to about 45%.  I then went into Effects Text and added my name. Final image below (EIGHT).

(EIGHT)

This was a pretty simple edit I created the landscape with the feeling and lighting that I wanted.  I mostly blended images (Effects Blend) and masked out areas